Player's Anthem

"Player's Anthem"
Single by Junior M.A.F.I.A. featuring The Notorious B.I.G.
from the album Conspiracy
B-side"Player's Anthem" (Remix)
ReleasedMay 30, 1995
Recorded1994–95
GenreGangsta rap
Length5:24
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Clark Kent
Junior M.A.F.I.A. singles chronology
"Player's Anthem"
(1995) 		"I Need You Tonight"
(1995)
The Notorious B.I.G. singles chronology
"Can't You See"
(1995) 		"Player's Anthem"
(1995) 		"The Points"
(1995)
Music video
"Player's Anthem" on YouTube

"Player's Anthem" is the first single released from the Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s debut album Conspiracy. Produced by Clark Kent, the song contains a sample of The New Birth's song "You Are What I'm All About". Featuring a chorus by the Notorious B.I.G., "Player's Anthem" became a big hit for the group, peaking at 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the RIAA on September 7, 1995 for sales of over 500,000 copies. The remix sounds similar to the original, but samples "Memory Lane" by Minnie Riperton.

The song also contains a sample of Doug E. Fresh's "La Di Da Di" featuring Slick Rick. A French musician, Jérémie Mondon (a.k.a. Demon) contains a sample from this song for the track called, "Streets" for his album, "Midnight Funk".[1]

Live performances

Junior M.A.F.I.A. and The Notorious B.I.G. first performed the song live at the 1995 Source Awards on August 3. They also performed the song live in an episode of The Grind on MTV in 1995, in an episode of Showtime at the Apollo which aired on November 18, 1995, and at Stadion Feijenoord in Rotterdam, Netherlands on July 6, 1996.

Single track listing

A-Side

  1. "Player's Anthem" (Dirty Version)- 5:24
  2. "Player's Anthem" (Radio Version)- 4:10
  3. "Player's Anthem" (Instrumental)- 4:10

B-Side

  1. "Player's Anthem" (Dirty Remix)- 4:10
  2. "Player's Anthem" (Radio Remix)- 4:17
  3. "Player's Anthem" (Remix Instrumental)- 4:10

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1995) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[2] 13
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[3] 7
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[4] 2
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[5] 28

Year-end chart

Chart (1995) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[6] 72

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[7] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Streets by Demon on WhoSampled". WhoSampled.
  2. ^ "Junior MAFIA Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  3. ^ "Junior MAFIA Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  4. ^ "Junior MAFIA Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  5. ^ "Junior MAFIA Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  6. ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1995". Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  7. ^ "American single certifications – Junior M.A.F.I.A. – Players Anthem". Recording Industry Association of America.